This Volkswagen Touareg Shows Us VW Could Cannibalize Audi Sales

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Platform sharing gets better the lower you go.

We haven’t heard a peep about the Volkswagen Touareg for quite some time, which is odd given that even Volkswagen acknowledges that one of the best ways it can mitigate the damages it sustained from Dieselgate is to do what all other automakers are doing and build more SUVs. The rest of the puzzle pieces are there with the new Tiguan and its long-wheelbase compliment having been unveiled recently and the full-size Atlas SUV making an appearance before that. Now, it’s the Touareg’s turn.

Thanks to this pair of Volkswagen’s mid-sized SUVs we’ve just caught testing, we have a clue about what the upcoming Touareg will look and drive like. The latter part of that information is just an inference based on the fact that the new Touareg will share platforms with the Audi Q7, Bentley Bentayga, and upcoming Porsche Cayenne. This is great news as it means the Touareg will lose a sizable portion of its mass and be flexible enough to accommodate a variety of gasoline, diesel, and even electrified drivetrains. Focusing on the two camouflaged Touaregs we see here, one with a black cloak on its front and rear while the other bears standard white and black graphic camouflage, we can see how different the car will look.

On the VW with graphics we can get a better look at the lights and grille while the Touareg with its front and rear covered leaves the side panels exposed. Apparent immediately is that the Volkswagen bears a close resemblance to an Audi, which has been a theme for the automaker in the past. In this case, the Touareg looks to feature more similarities than ever. It seems as if Volkswagen AG may have a problem if the new Touareg is too close to an Audi because the digital cockpit, 4Motion all-wheel drive, a refined interior, and a host of available driver aids may leave the new Touareg only a badge away from turning into an Audi. When it’s unveiled, expect it to be joined soon after by a host of other Volkswagen crossovers.